Tennessee Governor Signs Bill That Can Take Away Voting Rights Of Protester

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In “how the hell is that legal?” news, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee just signed a bill that will see protesters face harsher penalties, which includes potentially losing their right to vote.

According to reports from The Hill, this new law stipulates that anyone who “illegally” camps on state property could face a Class E felony–for which the maximum sentence is six years in prison–and anyone in the state found guilty of a felony loses the right to vote.

While Lee has indicated that there are aspects of the bill he “would have done differently,” he still made the proposal law effective immediately on Thursday. As part of the new bill, there is now a mandatory minimum 45-day hold for any potential protesters convicted of aggravated rioting. At the same time, the fine for obstructing emergency vehicles from accessing highways will be increased. A Class C felony for anyone convicted of aggravated assault has also been introduced, carrying a $15,000 fine and a 90-day minimum prison sentence.

“We are very disappointed in Governor Lee’s decision to sign this bill, which chills free speech, undermines criminal justice reform and fails to address the very issues of racial justice and police violence raised by the protesters who are being targeted,” ACLU Tennessee Executive Director Hedy Weinberg told the Associated Press. “While the governor often speaks about sentencing reform, this bill contradicts those words and wastes valuable taxpayer funds to severely criminalize dissent.”